The answer to the question posed in the title is: as long as your AC does, ideally! That's right, your air conditioner should not be losing any refrigerant at all.
The answer to the question posed in the title is: as long as your AC does, ideally! That's right, your air conditioner should not be losing any refrigerant at all. Why not? Because unlike fuels such as gas or propane, refrigerant is not consumed. It is recycled over and over again, running through what ought to be a closed system. If you have a low refrigerant level, it means that your refrigerant either was not charged to the right level, or that you have a leak somewhere in your system. The Parkland, FL air conditioning experts on our staff will determine what the issue is.
Why Is a Leak a Problem, and How Can I Spot One?
Your air conditioner is manufactured to work with a certain amount of refrigerant. If your refrigerant levels are low, then you run the risk of a subpar cooling performance. Refrigerant is evaporated in your evaporator coil. If there is not enough refrigerant therein, then your system is going to struggle to remove a sufficient amount of heat from the air passing over that coil. This can result in warm air blowing from your vents. Not only that, but it can also result in the icing over of your evaporator coil. This is very problematic, as it insulates the coil and will further impede the heat absorption process. It can also place a lot of unnecessary strain on your air conditioner, forcing cooling costs up while putting your system at risk of damages. If you notice that there is ice on your indoor coil, if you see water "leaking" out of your system (a sign of melting ice), or if your air conditioner just isn't cooling the air sufficiently, you may have a refrigerant leak. If this is the case, prompt repairs are in your best interest. Contact a member of our team to have the problem resolved properly.
All-Pro Electrical & Air Conditioning can handle all of your AC repairs.